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Anyanwu kicks, says NWC didn’t take such decision
By Folorunso Alagbede, Abuja
The controversy over who is the authentic National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has continued to rage.
Both Senator Samuel Anyanwu and Hon SKE Okey-Ude have, for some time now, been laying claim to the position.
The PDP Governors Forum and the Board of Trustees of the party have already endorsed Ude-Okoye as the recognized National Secretary of the party, citing the declaratory Judgement of the High Court of Enugu and the Judgment of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division which pronounced him (Ude-Okoye) as the National Secretary of the leading opposition party, as their authority.
However, Anyanwu who has challenged the judgements of the two lower courts at the Supreme Court in addition to an order of stay of execution from the Court of Appeal, is insisting that he remains the National Secretary of the PDP.
Anyanwu, it will be recalled, had emerged as the PDP governorship candidate for the Imo State governorship, contested and lost the election to the incumbent Governor of the State and candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Hope Uzodimma.
In the aftermath of the election, the South East caucus of the PDP met and named Ude-Okoye as the replacement for Anyanwu as the party’s National Secretary.
However, Anyanwu has continued to hold on to the office, despite the endorsement of Ude-Okoye by the PDP Governors and the BoT members.
On Wednesday, the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon Debo Ologunagba said, in a statement, that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP has affirmed Ude-Okoye as the party’s National Secretary.
Ologunagba explained that the NWC of the PDP is bound by Judgment of Court of Appeal.
The statement by Ologunagba reads, “The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) at its meeting today, (Wednesday, February 12, 2025), extensively considered the Memo dated 11th February, 2025 presented by the Acting National Chairman on the issue of the National Secretary of the PDP.
“The NWC in considering the Memo thoroughly examined the attached documents namely; the Declaratory Judgement of the High Court of Enugu, the Judgment of the Court of Appeal, Enugu Division which pronounced and declared Rt. Hon. S.K.E Udeh Okoye as the National Secretary of the PDP; the Legal Opinion and Advice by Dr. Kabiru T. Turaki SAN as well as that of the National Legal Adviser of the PDP.
“After due consideration of the Memo and the attachments, the NWC overwhelmingly recognizes, acknowledges and confirms Rt. Hon. S.K.E Udeh Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the PDP in full compliance with and obedience to the Judgement of the Court of Appeal, recognizing that there is no subsisting or superseding Judgment or Order from any Court of superior authority or hierarchy.
“The NWC has commenced the transmission of its Resolution/Decision affirming Rt. Hon. S.K.E Udeh Okoye as the PDP National Secretary to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other relevant bodies for recognition in line with the judgment of the Court of Appeal.
“The NWC commends all Organs, leaders, critical stakeholders and members of the PDP for their steadfastness, respect for the Rule of Law and loyalty to the Party at this critical time.
“The NWC reassures that it will continue to be guided strictly by the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017), Operational Guidelines, the Rule of Law and the vision of our founding fathers for the stability and growth of the Party, entrenchment of democracy and wellbeing of Nigerians”, the statement concluded.
However, in a swift reaction, Anyanwu dismissed the statement by Ologunagba, stressing that the NWC of the PDP neither met yesterday nor discussed anything like that.
According to Anyanwu, “The NWC never met; that is Ologunagba and a few other’s position.
“The matter was only discussed on the WhatsApp platform.
“Therefore, the NWC has not met regarding it, as the matter is still in court”, he stated in a telephone Interview.
END
